Folding shipping case



A ri] 2 1927.

p J. 5. WILLIAMSON FOLDING SHIPPING CASE Filed May 5, 1925 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 26, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN S. WILLIAMSON, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

FOLDING SHIPPING CASE.

Application filed May 5,

This invention is an improvement in folding shipping cases and. more especially, to the shipping case illustrated and described in U. S. Patent No. 1,115,759 issued to me November 3, 1914.

The object of the invention is the perfecting of shipping cases of this character to render the same more durable, eflicient, convenient and generally useful.

More specific objects and advantages of the invention will appear inthe following description.

The invention consists in certain novel constructions and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

Referring to the drawing forming a part hereof.-

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved shipping case with the parts arranged for a merchandise container; Fig. 2 is a perspective View showing the tray or base and side sections of the case; Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section through Fig. 1; Fig. 1 is a similar view showing the case in its collapsed condition; Figs. 5 and 6 are vertical transverse sections taken substantially on broken lines 5-5 and 66 of Fig. 3; Fig. 7 is a horizontal detail section showing a cover locking device; Fig. 8 is a fragmentary elevational view of the cover to illustrate one of the hinge elements thereof; Fig. 9 is a plan view showing portions of one of the side sections, the partition and the means for detachably coupling the same together: and Fig. 10 is a detailsectional view on line 1010 of Fig. 3.

The embodiment of the invention in the drawing comprises a caseof sheet metal or an equivalent having a base member in the form of a shallow tray consisting of a floor 11, front and rear sides 12 and 13,

and ends 14. Hingedly connected as at 15 v to the upper edges of. the tray sides are front and back side sections 16 and 17, respec- 45 tively. At each end of a side section and rectangular thereto, it is'provided with a flange 18.

Hingedly connected as at 19 to each of the tray ends 14 andat a short distance below the upper edge thereof is an end section 20 having its upper edge 21 in a plane with the upper edges 22 of said side sections or nearly so. As illustrated. each end section 20 is formed adjacent its upper edge to provide a substantially rectangular shaped hollow projection or cleat element 23 extending 1925. Serial No. 28,042.

horizontally the full width of the end. Said cleat element serves as a hand hold for conveniently carrying the case when the same is arranged as shown in Fig. 1. The upper portion of an end section is, moreover. formed of two thicknesses of material by the provision of a fold 241 upon the inner side of the section to extend downwardly a short distance below the respective cleat element. Below a. cleat such told is welded or otl1erwise secured to the main portion of the section and coacts with the cleat thereof to render the end section strong and rigid. At each of its ends the cleat 23 is slotted as at 25 (Fig; 10) to permit the upper end of a side-section flange 18 to enter the intersticc between said fold and the main portion of an end section above the cleat 23 of the respective section.

Below said cleats. the flanges 18 embrace said end sections by engaging against the outer surface of each as represented in Fig. 1. To prevent the accidental separation of the side sections 12 and 13 from the end sections, I provide latch devices, best shown in Fig. 6. each consisting of a rod 27 movable vertically in an eye attachment 28 of an end section and having at its upper end an offset part 29 which is engageable in a socket attachment 30 of the adjacent side section.

For convenience in engaging and disengaging a latch. the same is desirably provided with a finger gripping projection as 31. As a container for some characters of merchandise, such as eggs for example, the case is advantageously provided at about its midlength with a transverse partition.

For this purpose, there is provided at about the midlength of the tray floor 11 an upwardly extending rib 32 (Figs. 3 and 4) to the upper portion of which ishinged the lower member 33 of a two part partition. The upper member 34 of the partition is slidably connected to said lower member 33 as by means of bolts 35 (Fig. 5) extending from one of the members through vertical guide slots 36 provided in the other member. Such sliding connection between the partition members permits the partition being contracted to enable it to be folded down into the tray as shown in Fig. 4.

For securing the partition to the side sec tions 16 and 17 in operating position. I provide upon each of said sections, a bracket piece 37 having a notch 38 therein and ofiset from the respective section to afi'ord a space ill) 39 thercbetween, see Fig. 9 to accommodate arms 40 which extend at right angles from the ends of atie-rod This tie-rod is rotatably mouijited in a loop 42 provided in the upper end oi the partition member 3a. To employ the partitionsecuring means above described, the partition member 341- is regulated with respect to the other member 33 so that when the partition is. swung into vertical position the rod 41 will. be directly in alignment with the respective bracket notches 38, whereupon the side sections are drawn toward each other causing the rod to enter the notches, after which the rod is turned to carry the arms 40 thereof into the spaces SQthereby engaging the side sections to the partition. For disengagingthe partitiontroin tlieside sections t-heoperation above described is reversed. Supplementary tosuch tie-rod connections, I employ at about the midlength of the case latch devices substantially ailar to those hereinbe'lore described with retcrence to the case corner-connectione, naniel vlatch rods 27 movable in eye attachments 2H of the partition and each provided'w-ith a part 29 which is engageablein socket attachments 30 of the side sections 16 and 1'7.

Included in the invention. is av cover mem her for the case, said cover consisting of a top wall 44- from which depend end fianges 45, a front flange 46, and a rear flange t? at the outside of therespective side and end sections of the case whenthe latter is in its expanded condition (Figs. 1 i and 3), or about the outsideot the tray when the case is. folded as represented in Fig. ,4. Secured to the rear cover-flange 4:7 is pair of cars 48 each carrying below the flange, as shown in Fig.8, a pin arranged to provide a protruding end 419 at each side of the ear.

Such, ear-and-pin assemblies constitute hinge elements which arcengageable interchange-ably either with the rear side-section 17 or. with the rear side 13 of the tray by theprovision therein of suitably. positioned apertures 50. and:51 (Figs. 2 and .8) each of said apertures being of theshape substantially, of an inverted. letter T, permitting ahingeelement being inserted through the lower-portion otthe respective aperture and thence elevated to have the ear within the relatively narrow upper portion, whereupon the pin engages against the inner surface of themside section 17, or the tray side, 13, ee-

7 cording to which it is desired to attach the plate hich are dispo ed to; e;

Mounted on ther front flange 46 of against the outer surface of the flange. Said bolts are engageable with lips 57 and 57 struck out from the case section 16 and from the front wall 12 of the tray at one side of openings 58 and 58 provided in the respective section and wall. For locking the cover in place the bolts are by means of the respective operating plates 56 moved laterally of the case into engaged relations with the respective lips as illustrated, for instance, in Fig. 7.

For use in shipping merchandise, the case is arranged with the parts inthe relative positions shown in Figs. 1, 3, 5 and 6. The casing sections 16, 17 and 20 are held in place at the case corners by means of their interlocking connections and. also by means of the latches 27 and, intermediate the length of the case, by means of thepartition 38-3e. the tie-rod 41. and latches 27 The cover is openable with respect to the casing body by swinging the cover upwardly about its hingapin l9 connections with the rear section 17 of the case. To collapse the case preparatory, for example, for returning the same to a produce shipper for reuse, the cover is removed by firstiswinging the latter into a substantially vertical positionand then disengaging the hinge connections by lowering the same with the cover until the hinge pins are brought into the lower portions of the apertures 50 from which the hinge elements are readily withdrawn.

The partition 33-34c is now disengaged from the side sections 16 and 17, then contracted and swung down into the tray, see Fig. 4. The end sections 20 and the side sections. 16 and 17 are now successively turned down into the tray. After this is done the cover is attached at its rear side to the tray wall 13 by its hinge connections being passed through, the apertures 51 to engage the inner surface of such tray wall. Finally the cover is swung down into its closed relation with the tray andithere'upon is secured at its front side by means of the bolt-plates fitito the front ofthe tray.

It will be evident, from the description that my shipping case is simple and strong .in construction and, beingfree from complications, is not liable to get out of order,

either inits expanded; or. contracted conditions, nor in transforming the same.

What- I claim, is,-

1. In a folding shippingcase, a tray base-member, side and end sections hinged to said base member, bracket devices socured tothe respective side sections, a 'two partpartition having one of its parts hingedly connected to said base-member, meansconnecting the partition parts with each other forrelative sliding moveinen s,

means carried by said end sections andby the partition tor-cletachably securing the same to the side sections in substantially right angular relations with the latter and also with respect to the floor of the base member, and a tie-rod rotatably connected to one of the partition parts, said tie-rod having bent ends engageable with the bracket devices of both of said side sections.

2. A folding shipping case comprising a hollow base member, side and end sections hinged to the base member to fold into the latter, means for detachably connecting the end and side sections together at the case corners for detachably retaining said sections in upright positions, one of said side apertures of substantially the shape of an inverted letter T, a cover member, and means provided upon said cover and engageable within the apertures of the respective side sections and also within the apertures of the base member for hingedly connecting the cover to either the section referred to or to the base. selectively.

Signed at Seattle, Washington, this 21st day of April 1925.

JOHN S. WILLIAMSON. 

